Wired reports, via unnamed sources, that Twitter's two-factor authentication system is already in place and is being tested internally, with plans to roll it out to all of Twitter's users "shortly". A specific date for the new feature is not yet known.

Adding this new way to protect Twitter passwords can't come at a more opportune time for the social networking service. There have been a string of recent high profile accounts that have been hacked. The latest example happened on Tuesday, when the Associated Press's Twitter page posted a false message after being hacked that claimed explosions had hit the White House. While the message was quickly discovered to be a hoax, the U.S. stock market plunged for a few minutes in the wake of the AP Twitter post before recovering.

While two-factor authentication methods won't prevent all Twitter account takeovers, it will make it much harder for these incidents to happen in the future.